William and Lawrence Bragg, Father and Son

The Most Extraordinary Collaboration in Science

John Jenkin

Discusses the history of some of the essential elements of 20th-century science.

Discusses the contributions of William and Lawrence Bragg, father and son together, rather than separately.

Examines the personal, family and wider human relationships of the principal players.

A first time explanation of the pivotal contributions made by Lawrence and William Bragg to the winning of the First World War.

Provides an extensive example of science teaching and research on the periphery of the British Empire (in Australia) during the late-19th and early-20th centuries.

William and Lawrence Bragg, Father and Son

The Most Extraordinary Collaboration in Science

John Jenkin

Description

In 1912 Lawrence Bragg explained the interaction of X-rays with crystals, and he and his father, William thereby pioneered X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. They then led the latter field internationally for fifty years, when most areas of science were transformed by the knowledge they created: physics, chemistry, geology, materials science, electronics, and most recently biology and medical science. This book charts how this humble pair (William English, his son Australian) rose from obscurity to international prominence and then back to current, undeserved obscurity. Attention is also given to the crucial roles of both father and son during the dreadful years of the First World War, and to William's early and unshakeable belief in the dual wave and particle natures of radiation and his eventual vindication.

Unlike earlier studies, the book highlights the intimate interactions between father and son that made their project possible, emphasizes personal, family, and wider human relationships, and offers new insights into teaching and research in a British colonial setting.